Method

1. Stir the saffron into the milk and set aside for a few minutes.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, salt and spice. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm saffron milk and beaten egg then stir together to make a soft dough. If the dough feels hard or dry, you will need to add a little more milk. Knead on a floured surface for 5 minutes or so until smooth, then return to the bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for one hour until well risen. Alternatively, cover the bowl and chill overnight.

3. Briefly knead the dough then roll it out to a rectangle 40 x 20 cm. Leaving a border of 0.5 cm round the edges, sprinkle over the fruit, lemon rind and sugar. Roll up from the short side, like a Swiss roll. Slice the roll into nine even pieces then arrange them together in a 20-cm square cake tin (or a rectangular tin of 20 x 30 cm), allowing the edges of the buns to touch. Cover again and leave to rise for 30 minutes until well risen. This may take a little longer if the dough was chilled overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 200/gas 6. Mix together the remaining sugar with two tablespoons of water. Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Brush them with the sugar water as soon as they come out of the oven. Serve warm or leave to cool before serving.

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